Living THE Life

Take a hard look at your life. Actually, make it quick so you can continue reading this. But take a look nonetheless.

In reflecting on the way you live your life, what are you representing? What example & legacy are you leaving behind? 

1 Timothy 4:12 calls us to set an example for other believers specifically in our conduct & the way we live life. Calls us to set & live up to the standard as Christians. But, I think too often we ruin our example for Christ simply by the way we live every day. We forget our call to be the standard & unfortunately carry ourselves much like the world. Nothing different.

But take a look at Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego. We'll see something that starkly contrasts with the ways of this world:

1. They were carried off to Babylon & put into an elite training program. But they refused to eat the food presented to them because it was first offered to Babylonian idols. So the Lord prompted the overseer to show them favor & they were put on a veggie & water diet only. They prospered & excelled far beyond all the other young men. They chose to live their life for God & not go along with the ways of this world & set an example in living THE life. 
2. Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego refused to bow & worship the king. They were caught & thrown into the fire to be burned alive. They were pulled out without even being touched by the flames. The Lord delivered them & the King praised the true God. They chose to live their life for God & not go along with the ways of this world & set an example in living THE life. 
3. Daniel later on also refused to pray to & worship the king. He was caught & thrown into a den of lions. Again, the Lord delivered him & he was pulled out without a scratch on him. The king praised the true God & Daniel prospered. He chose to live his life for God & not go along with the ways of this world & set an example in living THE life. 

What's challenging about Daniel & his life is that no man could find any fault in him. He lived his life for God so passionately, that "they could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent" (Daniel 6:4). 

He set THE example & lived THE life for THE God. 

This should be our goal. That because we are living our lives for God SO passionately, others see it. Paul challenges Christians to "conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ" in Philippians 1:27. A call to live up to the standard of Christ & model our lives after His. 

Because some of us "claim to know God, but by [our] actions [we] deny Him" (Titus 1:16). You claim to be a Christian, but don't live like Christ. Can't work. Won't work. You can't claim to be a Christian & then live life anything but like Christ. 

So be the example. Live your life after the standard of Christ. Or don't claim Him. And if you do claim Jesus, don't deny Him & ruin His name by the way you live. 

Be real. Be like Christ. Live like Christ. 

JV